Illuminating device



July 18, 1939. R HOHL 2,166,149

ILLUMINATING DEVICE Filed Sept. 2, 1936 52 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eg s , mgInven/Zoa y RusseZZL.HoPg/Z,

Patented July 18, 1939 2,166,149

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ILLUMINATING DEVICE Russell L. Hohl, NewYork, N. Y.

Application September 2, 1936, Serial No; 99,067

9 Claims. (01. 240 -73) My invention relates to illuminating devices.flared socket 5 into which is adapted to snap a The invention, which hasamong its objects the split resilient stud, comprising the prongs 1(Fig. provision of improved reflecting means for a 6) carried by aplug-in lamp socket, the arrangelamp, will be best understood from thefollowing ment being closely like that of the ordinary snap descriptionwhen read in the light of the accomfastener. This socket comprises ashallow cup 5 panying drawings of an embodiment of the in- 9 ofinsulating material having a marginal wall vention, the scope of whichlatter will be more H. The prongs forming the stud l are struckparticularly pointed out in the appended claims. up from a sheet metalplate It secured Within In the drawings: the cup, this plate also beingformed to provide a Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an illuminatingplug-in contact portion I5 extending through H device constructedaccording to the invention; an opening in the side wall of the cup.

2 is a side elevation according to Fig. 1; The contact l5 of the plug-inlamp socket is 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, shaped asindicated in Fig. 4 so that it will snap v with parts in elevation;between the jaws ll of a spring clip carried by, Figs; 4 and 5 aresections on the lines 44 and a wiring base the body of which is formedof 5'5 of Fig."3,"with parts in elevation; insulating material. Thisbody comprises a base is a section through the plug-in lamp portion itwhich at one side thereof has a prosocket'on'the line 3- -3 of Fig. 1;jecting portion 2 l, the latter formed with a cavity Figj'l isanelevation of the end portion of the 23 receiving the jaws ll of thespring clip, which tubular lamp; cavity opens on the outer end of theprojection Figi'8'shows afmodified form of illuminating 2| to form anopening through which the device, beingja section on the line 88 of Fig.9 plug-in contact i5 may be inserted. The spring with'the wiring bases,lamps, reflectors and asclips are formed integrally with a base portionsociatedparts in'elevation; 2'? which has an ofiset portion 29 carryinga 25 Fig; 9is asection, on an enlarged scale, on the terminal iii towhich a lead for energizing the 25 line 3-9 of Fig; -8; lamp filamentmay be connected.

Fig. 10 shows a'detail of Fig. 9 on an enlarged As shown, the wiringbases are carried at opscale; posite ends of a casing, convenientlyformed as Fig. 11 showsa detail, being a fragment of a a channel-shapedextrusion having the webs 33 bottom view of the parts shown in Fig. 9with and base 35. As shown, the base of the ex- 30 the lamps, andreflectors carried by the lamps, trusion at opposite ends of the casingis slotted as omitted; indicated at 31 for receiving the projecting por-Fig-.12 is a section on the line 88 of Fig. 9, tion 2| of the wiringbase and permitting the and corresponds to a fragment of Fig. 8 on anenbase portion IQ of the latter to be entered into 35 larged scale withthe reflector in section; the casing. This base portion of the wiringbase 35 Fig. 13 is a section on the line |3l3 of Fig. 9, rests againstthe inner side of the base 35 of the with parts omitted; extrusion andis secured thereto by screws 39. Fig.- 14- is an elevation of thereflector looking By this construction the terminals 3| are within fromthe right in Fig. 12; and the channel-shaped casing. Fig. 15 is a wiringdiagram. As illustrated, the webs 33 of the channel- 40Refer-ring'particularly to Figs. 1 to 7 of the shaped extrusion of thecasing are formed with drawings, the source of light is afforded by anflanges 41, which latter are adapted to rest electric lamp having theelongated tubular glass against a wall W or other supporting structurebulb I. The details of this lamp, and of the and be secured thereto byscrews passing through plug-in lamp. socket and Wiring base whichsupholes 43 formed in said flanges. At opposite 45 port the lamp, formno part of the present invenends the casing conveniently is providedwith tion, and, being known, will be described only caps 15 securedthereto in any convenient manwith such particularity as is necessary tounderner, as, for example, by screws 41'. stand the present invention.It will be understood that the casing may be of As illustrated, the lampbulb I is provided at any suitable length, and, if desired, may carryopposite ends thereof with metallic caps 3 Fig. '7) any number of lampsI, said lamps when a pluwhich form the opposite terminals for thefilarality thereof are employed preferably being ar ment (not shown)which extends lengthwise of ranged with their aXes in alignment. thebulb from one cap to the other. Each of As illustrated, along the lampare distributed a, these filament terminal caps is provided with a,plurality of reflectors. These reflectors, which55 preferably are formedof sheet metal, are cupshaped. As shown, they comprise reducedcylindrical end portions 49 forming openings 5| through which thetubular lamp bulb extends. These cylindrical portions contact with thelamp bulb and frictionally secure the reflectors thereto. Sufiicientfriction may be provided by slightly deforming with the fingers theportions 49 from their truly cylindrical shape, this being readilyaccomplished because the reflectors are made of thin sheet metal.

The reflectors illustrated further comprise portions 53 which are in thtshape of a frustum of a cone having flattened sides 55 adjacent thecasing. At their medial portions the flattened sides 55 are shown asswelled out, as indicated at 57 (Figs. 3 and 5), so that the cylindricalportions 49 which grip the lamp bulb may extend into the larger ends ofadjacent reflectors.

The reflectors shaped and arranged as illustrated permit direct raysfrom the lamp, when the latter is positioned vertically, to passdiagonally upward, while the rays which strike the reflectors areprojected for the most part against the exterior of the adjacentreflector immediately above it. The net result is a diifused light. Theilluminating device illustrated may be placed, for example, on a wall atopposite sides of a mirror or a dressing table with satisfactory resultsin respect to keeping direct rays of the eyes of the user of the mirroror dressing table. When placed on a ceiling with the lamps in horizontalposition, the light is reflected toward the walls of the room to give adiffused light without subjecting persons within the room to the directrays.

In the modification of the invention shown by Figs. 8 to 15 the wiringbases for a plurality of lamps are shown as carried by a conduitcomprising a channel-shaped extrusion having the web 59 and oppositeflanges 6|, this extrusion being secured to a wall, ceiling, or othersupport W by nails F extending through the web. The constructioncomprising this extrusion and associated parts forms part of the subjectmatter of my copending application Serial No. 93,852, filed August 1,1936, and therefore will not be described herein with any moreparticularity than is necessary to convey an understanding of thepresent invention.

As illustrated, the web 59 of this extrusion is formed on its inner sidewith a pair of spaced, longitudinally extending ribs 63 and 65, on theedges of which are adapted to rest the bottom surfaces of the baseportions IQ of the wiring bases for the lamps. These wiring basespreferably extend from one flange 6| to the other of the extrusion. Thespaces between the two ribs 63 and 65 and between each of these and theadjacent flange 6| form channels or grooves for receiving the lead wiresL for energizing the lamps and for receiving such auxiliary lead wires Las it may be desired to conduct, which lead wires L may be used for adifferent group of lamps than those energized by the lead wires L.

The flanges 6| of the base extrusion, as best illustrated in Figs. 9 and10, have thickened lower edge portions 51 provided with longitudinallyextending grooves 69 into which fit the upper edge portions H of theside walls 13 of combined wiring-base retaining and reflector members,which latter are also in the form of elongated extrusions. Preferablyall these extrusions are made of aluminum, or high content aluminumalloy, such as duralium, having the relatively soft properties ofaluminum. Preferably the side walls of the grooves 69 are formed withlongitudinally extending grooves 15 to provide one or more raisedsurfaces Ti which contact with the sides of the upper edge portions 1 l,and the metal of these parts, being soft, galls when the parts, whichhave a tight fit, are forced together, this affording sufficientfriction to prevent separation of the parts except when they tend to beseparated with considerable force.

As illustrated, the combined wiring-base retaining and reflectorportion, which also form a cover for the channel of the base extrusion,is made in two parts each of which has an arcuate portion 19 theadjacent edges of which are formed with upward projecting ribs 8| whichabut in the assembled device and the edges of which engage with the baseportions IQ of the wiring bases to hold the latter against the ribs 63and 55. The adjacent edge portions of the arcuate portions I9 of theextrusions as shown are notched at 83 (Fig. 11) through which theprojecting portions 2| of the wiring bases extend. Conveniently, thearcuate portions of the extrusions are formed on their upper surfaceswith longitudinally extending grooves 95 of V-shaped cross-section, asillustrated in Fig. 9, and, by sawing inward with a hack-saw from theedges of the arcuate portions to these grooves, the parts between thesaw cuts may be readily broken off at the V-shaped grooves to form thenotches which, when the arcuate portions are placed together, form theopenings 83.

As illustrated, the side wall 13 of each wiringbase retaining extrusionis formed with a thickened portion 3? provided with a longitudinallyextending groove 89 the upper portion of which is inclined outwardly, asindicated at 9|, to open on the exterior of the side walls. If desired,communicating with the grooves 39 may be provided holes 93 for thepurpose of ventilating the interior of the conduit formed by theextrusions.

In the assembled device the wiring bases for adjacent ends of pairs oflamps may be placed back to back, as best illustrated in Figs. 8 and 11,for supporting a plurality of axially aligned lamps. Before assemblingthe extrusions the lead wires L are connected to the terminal screws 3|in the manner indicated in Fig. 15. Conveniently, a strip 95 offiberboard or other insulating material is placed in the bottom of thegroove formed by the ribs 63 and 65 of the base extrusion t to provideagainst the possibility of the screws 3| forming a short circuit if theybecome loose.

If desired, only one lamp may be provided, instead of a pluralitythereof, in connection with the modification shown by Figs. 8 and 15.The openings formed by the ends of the extrusion of this modificationmay be closed in any convenient manner, as by a plate 97 indicated atthe lower end of Fig. 8. These plates may be secured to the extrusionsby screws which enter the ends of the grooves 89, into the side walls ofwhich grooves the screws will self tap due to the soft nature of themetal of which the extrusions are formed.

The parts so far described of the modification shown by Figs. 8 to 15form the subject matter of my copending application Serial No. 93,852,filed August 1, 1936.

In this modification of the invention the cupshaped reflectors carriedby the lamps, as heretofore described, comprise cylindrical reduced endportions 49 through which the lamp bulbs extend and which frictionallygrip the lamp bulbs. As illustrated, the conical portions 99 of thereflectors at the sides adjacent the support are flattened at oppositesides, as indicated at IEJE, these flattened portions lill beingconnected by the portions I03 and 5135 respectively formed to provide agroove and a fragment of a cylindrical surface, so that the reflectorconforms to the lower portions of the side walls and the arcuateportions E9 of the wiring-base retaining extrusions.

The reflectors of the device shown by Figs. 8 to 15 produce the sameeffect as those described in connection with Figs. 1 to '7. In each ofthese modifications the face of the lamp holder, for example the arcuateportions '59 of Fig. 9, also may act as a reflector, particularly if itis desired to omit one or more of the reflectors carried by the lamps.

It will be understood that within the scope of the appended claims widedeviations may be made from the forms of the invention illustratedwithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An illuminating device having, in combination, an elongated lamp, anelongated holder for said lamp, carrying means for engaging said lamp atopposite ends thereof for supporting said lamp in parallel closelyspaced relation to said holder, and a plurality of cupped reflectors between said means distributed along said lamp, said reflectors havingreduced end supporting portions frictionally engaging said lamp andadapted to enter the open ends of adjacent reflectors, said reflectorsat the sides thereof adjacent said holder being shaped to presentsurfaces closer to the axis of said lamp than at other portions thereof.

2. An illuminating device having, in combination, an elongated lamp, anelongated holder for said lamp, carrying means for engaging said lamp atopposite ends thereof for supporting said lamp in parallel closelyspaced relation to said holder, and a plurality of cupped reflectorsbetween said means distributed along said lamp, said reflectors havingreduced end portions frictionally engaging said lamp and adapted toenter the open ends of adjacent reflectors, said reflectors havingflattened sides adjacent said holder.

3. An illuminating device comprising a tubular lamp, a holder for saidlamp comprising a base member and a cover member forming a chamber, awiring-base for said lamp within said chamber, and a cupped reflectorcarried by said lamp, said reflector at the side thereof adjacent saidcover member being shaped to present surfaces closer to the axis of saidlamp than at the opposite side thereof.

4. An illuminating device comprising an elongated tubular lamp, a holderfor said lamp comprising a base portion and a cover portion, the surfaceof the latter at the outer side of said holder being concave,wiring-bases for said lamp at opposite ends thereof carried by saidholder, a cupped reflector carried by said lamp, said reflector having aportion of shape complementary to the concaved surface of said coverportion.

5. An illuminating device comprising an elongated tubular lamp, a holderfor said lamp comprising a base portion and a cover portion, the surfaceof the latter at the outer side of said holder being concave,wiring-bases for said lamp at opposite ends thereof carried by saidholder, a cupped reflector having a portion engaging said lamp andsupported thereby, said reflector having a portion of shapecomplementary to the concaved surface of said cover portion.

6. An illuminating device having, in combination, an elongated concavereflector, an elongated tubular lamp associated with said reflector inspaced parallel relation thereto, a plurality of auxiliary cup-shapedreflectors surrounding said lamp and distributed therealong, saidauxiliary reflectors being supported by said lamp and having theportions thereof adjacent said elongated reflector shaped to contacttherewith.

7. An illuminating device having, in combination, a part presenting anelongated trough-like surface, a tubular lamp associated with saidsurface and arranged in spaced parallel relation thereto, a plurality ofcup-shaped reflectors distributed along said lamp, which reflectors havereduced end portions frictionally engaging said lamp whereby they aresupported thereby, said reflectors being deformed at one side thereof toprovide elongated interiorly concave raised portions entering the troughformed by said troughlike surface and exteriorly contacting therewith.

8. A reflector having, in combination, a cupshaped body portion providedwith a reduced neck adapted to engage the exterior of a tubular lamp,one side of said body portion being flattened.

9. A reflector having, in combination, a cupshaped body portion providedwith a reduced neck adapted to engage the exterior of a tubular lamp,one side of said body portion being flattened and provided with anexteriorly convex and interiorly concave portion with a longitudinallyextending groove at each side of said convex portion.

RUSSELL L. HOI-lL.

